About Us

Nestled in the mountains of Durango, Colorado, Benny and Valerie Aldrich and their staff of four maintain a group purpose: operating in harmony and balance, to create expressions of perfection and love for themselves and others. Using the elements of the earth and sea, their works of art pass from hand to hand to create jewelry of unique heirlooms of uncompromised beauty.

The Aldrich’s style of intarsia inlay incorporates old world style combined with the new world of vivid colors and craftsmanship. From earth tones to extreme shimmer and sparkle, the jewelry reminds you of nature’s butterflies and humming birds.

Valerie’s use of combining vivid colors and Benny’s expertise of gold and silver-smithing is executed masterfully; framing them into wearable art that is unsurpassed.

The Aldrich’s were pioneers in incorporating faceted gemstones into southwestern style jewelry in the early 1970’s. They were among the first to re-introduce spiney oyster and purple burro shell to the blooming industry. Their relationship with worldwide miners and importers is crucial to obtaining the magnificent colors they are famous for. This is a result of searching gem and mineral shows for over 45 years.

Thank you for your interest in our artwork. May it be your best treasure in your jewelry collection.

Meet Our Team

Doreen Gribauskas

Doreen Gribauskas is Aldrich Art master inlayer. She has been inlaying beautiful pieces of jewelry since 1992. She lives in Clarkdale Arizona and works from her home, sending her finished inlay by mail to the shop in Durango.

Luke Aldrich

Luke Aldrich is Benny and Valerie’s youngest child and only son. He is a gold & silversmith at Aldrich Art and has been working for Aldrich Art off and on since 1996. He was submersed into the business at a very young age, working with his father to learn the trade using his skills to fulfill his creative outlet.

Kish Mitchell

Kish Mitchell has worked at Aldrich Art since 1999. She inlays, polishes most of the jewelry, and helps out in the office. She has lived in Durango since 1997 and graduated with Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Fort Lewis College. Her major was art with an emphasis in three-dimensional art and a minor in history.

Haley Marie Garner

Haley Marie Garner is from Durango and went to high school here. She moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico and graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in metal smithing. She also earned a jewelers certificate from the American Jewelers Institute in Portland Oregon. She has been silver-smithing for Aldrich Art since 2014.

We would like to thank our beautiful models and our photographer. They enhance the beauty of Aldrich Art Jewelry!